SILVER SHARD

In this follow-up to Silverwood (2015), the Silverwood clan must ensure its old enemy doesn’t escape its supernatural prison.

Streeter treats readers to a fairy-tale–esque prologue telling the story of a girl who is banished because of her power to predict negative future events and who grows up to be the ancestor of the Silverwoods. In the modern world, the Silverwoods, a close-knit white family, are camping when they learn that their cousin, bearer of half of the “portal coin” that locked away Monder, a powerful, evil, human-gobbling Tromindox, needs to pass the burden along. Throughout the book, the various Silverwoods are desperate to do three things: keep Monder imprisoned; guard their half of the portal coin; and find the Silver Shard, the only thing that can permanently destroy the portal coin and ensure that Monder never escapes. Through the nonstop action that ensues, adults often act as point-of-view characters, though Helen and, especially, Henry Silverwood are still major figures in the narrative. When Henry is abducted by Monder, Helen takes it upon herself to save him, but each character has an important role to play if they are to win the day. There’s a lot of talk about portals and time and space that’s not entirely clear. Readers may not be able to decide if the world Streeter offers actually makes sense, but if an engaging narrative is what readers crave, complete comprehension may be a sacrifice worth making.

An entertaining if not entirely transparent sequel.